Uganda's Foreign Minister to get top UN post

Accused of supporting anti-gay
law, corruption & political repression Bid to stop him
becoming President of UN General Assembly

Uganda’s
Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa is set to become President of
the UN General Assembly on 17 June.

"A close ally of the
Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, Sam Kutesa is accused of
support for the new anti-gay law, financial corruption,
political repression and military intervention in the
Congo,” said Peter Tatchell, Director of the human rights
organisation, the Peter Tatchell Foundation.

“As a
senior government minister, he has colluded with enactment
of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, which dictates automatic life
imprisonment for any form of same-sex contact with sexual
intent - even mere kissing and cuddling.

“His government
is harbouring the leader of the M23 rebel group, Sultani
Makenga, who is on a UN sanctions list. The Ugandan
government is refusing to hand over Makenga to the Congolese
authorities or to the International Criminal Court.

“It
is outrageous that Kutesa has been nominated by the African
Union. He is not a fit and proper person to hold this
prestigious UN post.

"David Cameron, William Hague and
governments worldwide should be lobbying the UN to block
Kutesa's appointment on the grounds that his political
record is inconsistent with UN
principles.

“Surprisingly, it appears that the UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has not, so far,
objected to his appointment or attempted to challenge it.

"I have written to the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon,
urging that a decision on Kutesa's appointment be delayed
until his suitability for the presidency is assessed by the
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Read
the letter to Ban Ki-Moon here:
http://bit.ly/1otb3jo

"Looking to the future, the UN needs
to put in place a proper scrutiny procedure for all
candidates for senior posts, to prevent corrupt officials
and human rights abusers being appointed," said Mr
Tatchell.

Nelson Mandela, then Deputy President of the African National Congress of South Africa, raises his fist in the air while addressing the Special Committee Against Apartheid in the General Assembly Hall. UN Photo/P. Sudhakaran More>>